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Road, airport projects set to figure on Ayodhya priority list in Yogi govt’s second term
The state government has asked the Ayodhya administration to find an amicable solution to all issues related with the road widening project after consultation with traders in Ayodhya
A road widening project and the Ayodhya international airport among other development works would figure on the priority list of the Yogi Adityanath government in its second term, marking a continuation of the emphasis that the temple town has got from the state government and the Centre over the last five years.
The state government has asked the Ayodhya administration to find an amicable solution to all issues related with the road widening project after consultation with traders. The move comes as traders in Ayodhya are opposing the project on the ground that it will displace a large number of shops and commercial establishments along the entire route.
The issue had prompted chief minister Yogi Adityanath to assured traders that no decision related with this project would be taken without consulting them. He had given this assurance during a roadshow in Ayodhya on February 24. Ayodhya voted in the fifth phase of the UP assembly polls on February 27.
With the BJP retaining power in UP, the Ayodhya administration is reaching out to traders again to reach a consensus so that the project can be rolled out.
Around 750 shops and commercial establishments from Ram Ki Paidi right up to Old Faizabad city (now known as Ayodhya) would have to be demolished if the ambitious road widening project is implemented.
Traders will be taken into confidence before executing the project, BJP MP from Ayodhya Lallu Singh said. Efforts have begun to resolve the issue, he added.
As for the Ayodhya International Airport, the state government wants to make it operational at the earliest so that people from across the country and abroad can reach the temple town by air also.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already started construction work of the Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram Airport in Ayodhya.
All bids were finalised for the construction work long back. Bengaluru-based Vishal Infrastructure, which had bagged the bid for construction of runway, has started its work under supervision of AAI.
AAI has appointed Rajeev Kulshreshtha as the project incharge and there are three other officials. All of them have taken charge.
Two stretches of the road in Ayodhya Dham (Old Ayodhya town), including the one leading to the Hanuman Garhi temple, are to be widened under the proposed plan.
Another major expansion of the road is proposed from Naya Ghat to Udaya crossing. This stretch of the road is around 4.6 km in length. The entire road is proposed to be 24 feet wide — 12 feet on both sides of the divider.
There are a large number of commercial establishments on this stretch. Traders are demanding to curtail the proposed expansion to 20 feet width.
